Originally from Africa, okra is now widely used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Creole, Cajun and…

bunch coriander, roughly chopped, to serve

For ginger and chilli base

2 garlic cloves

2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes

thumb-size piece fresh root ginger

1 scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded

Method

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large deep frying pan over a high heat then add the meat and fry for about 5 mins till golden all over. Lift out of the pan onto a plate.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and fry the onions until soft but not golden, about 5 mins. While the onions cook, make the ginger and chilli base. Put the garlic, tomatoes, ginger and chilli into a food processor or blender and whizz till smooth.

Add the tomato purée to the onions, fry for another 2 mins then add the ginger and chilli mix. Crumble in the stock cube, stir then pour in 600ml boiling water. Add the chicken, bring to the boil then simmer for 15 mins.

Put the rice into a large bowl, cover with cold water and use your hands to wash the grains. Tip the water out then repeat twice until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the pan, turn the heat down to a simmer then cover with foil and a lid (so no steam can escape) and cook for 20 mins.

Take the lid off (the rice won’t be cooked yet) then scatter the peppers and okra over the rice. Re-cover and cook for 10 mins until the veg is softened and the rice tender. Just before serving, mix the veg through and scatter over coriander.

Comments (55)

This recipe is close but not quite Jollof rice. Authentic Jollof rice is prepared from a tomato base sauce made up of blended tomatoes, onions, sweet bell peppers and chilli peppers usually scotch bonnet peppers, seasoned with Maggi stock cube (importantly for that flavour) with no added vegetables like Okra or the like.

This is a good approximation of Jollof rice, and here's a few tips to get it even closer to the real deal! Authentic Jollof rice is prepared from a tomato base sauce made up of blended tomatoes, onions, sweet bell peppers and chilli peppers which are usually scotch bonnet peppers, and seasoned with Maggi stock cubes, with no other added vegetables.http://www.foodsfromafrica.com/blog/2016/1/9/ghanaian-jollof-rice shows how traditional Jollof rice is prepared. Try out both versions and let your palate be the judge.

bland and boring, definitley missing something. my son asked me to make jollof rice as he has it at school,only remembered when i arrived at the supermarket to get the weekly shop. this website is always the one i check first as there are many great and delicious recipes. i checked ingredients and purchased (unfortunately without checking the reviews). i tried it out anyhow but am very disappointed. have now done what i should have in the first place.... asked my african neighbour for her recipe. ingredients are completely different from this one. am looking forward to trying her recipe next week...thanks marvy xxx

It looks delish, but it looks more like a spanish rice dish than Jollof rice. I'm getting hungry just looking @ the picture. Anyway check out my site for my version of Ghanaian Jollof rice recipe @ http://www.homeafricanrecipes.com/har/jollof.php

Call this whatever you want, but don't call it jollof rice, this bears NO resemblance to what is traditionally cooked in Ghananian household's, or west Africa.

The reason this recipe is bland, is due to the fact that the seasonings aren't good, you need to use a seasoning like 'Maggi cube' pepper etc.

Also for any jollof rice to work you need to cook the tomatoes for a long time, to develop a flavoursome base for the rice-otherwise your jollof rice is a failiure.

I have never heard of okra being used. Its usually vegetables such as peas, carrots, cabbage,aubergine, sweet corn etc, or it can just be plain. You can also add a selection of meats such as; goat,beef,chicken or bits of cooked fish.

You must allow for the rice to steam properly,by covering the pot with two sheets of foil, and leaving to cook on a very low heat.

All Jollof rice is different depending on what part of Africa you are from. I used this recipe and it does not taste anything like jollof rice.You need Maggi cubes to get the right flavouring and your missing two big flavours in it and they are Bay leaves and Sage. Get rid of the coriander....its not Asian food.

Very tasty once made right, if anyone would like a truly original Sierra Leone Jollof rice recipe let me know, i am happy to share mine.

I agree with alot of the comments from before that this is not a Caribbean dish (I should know cause I'm Jamaican)!!! This is a West African dish and I have tasted Jolof Rice many times from my friends and as far as I know the ingredients are TOTALLY WRONG!!! Also the picture doesn't look nothing like Jolof Rice!!! This is a misconception to those of us who would like to cook the original recipe...we might as well ask our fellow African friends or neighbors for the recipe instead of following this rice and vegetable mixture!!!! Well at least you got the rice, cans of chopped tomatoes and chicken ingredients right!!!! DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE POSTING so you do not upset people!!!!

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Questions (0)

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Tips (1)

holacherie29th Dec, 2014

Jollof Rice with Chicken stock cube? Okra? I'm sorry but this has just taken away from such a simple yet beautiful dish to something less appealing.Jamie Oliver, Tesco and now yourselves? When will you all learn?All of West Africa weeps at this horrid invention

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